hold (one's) head (up) high

(redirected from hold my head up high)

hold (one's) head (up) high

To walk with confidence and pride, especially as a way to show that one is not ashamed of something. I know you're disappointed to have lost, but you should hold your head high—you ran an excellent race.

hold one's head high

Also, hold one's head up; hold up one's head. Behave proudly; maintain one's dignity. For example, After the bankruptcy Mr. Jones still held his head high, or Grandma told Brian he could hold his head up because he'd tried extremely hard, or After that newspaper article, I'm not sure I'll ever hold up my head again. All these expressions allude to a posture of pride. [Second half of 1500s]

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